The requirement for restraining devices, such as seat belts and the like, including devices for the restraint of an infant or young child, is mandatory in most states of this country.
Typically, such child restraining devices are independent seating structures constructed for attachment to the back of an automobile seat, and secured in position by the existing seat belts, or by ancillary belts that have been provided for that specific purpose. Such devices constitute an inconvenience to the user of the automobile, in that the device must be removed and stored if the automobile seat is to be used by an adult. Also, the occasion arises that the child restraining is required, but, the child restraining has been stored at some other location and is not readily available for use. Additionally, storage of the child restraining in the trunk of the automobile can constitute a source of inconvenience, in that it restricts the amount of available trunk space.
Structures have been disclosed in which the child restraining means is formed integrally with the back of an automobile seat, and, rotated or extended for temporary use by a child or infant, and then rotated back into the seat back to enable the automobile seat to be used by an adult. Examples of such constructions of child restraining devices are to be found in Bernier U.S. Pat. No. 3,094,354 issued Jun. 18, 1963, in Ruda U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,366 issued Oct. 28, 1980, in Hassel U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,216 issued Sep. 10, 1985, and, in Dorto U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,229 issued Jun. 7, 1988.
Each of these prior patents discloses a restraining device incorporated into the back of an automobile seat and which can be rotated downwardly to extend out of the seat back. However, in each instance, no provision is made for the accommodation of children of different weights and sizes. Thus, the child restraints of the prior art are only of utility in providing a restraining device for either an infant, but not a small child, or, a small child but not an infant, or, a child of a specific size and weight.
An improved restraining mechanism having moveable and retractable restraining devices is described in Forlivio U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,498 issued Apr. 3, 1990, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
It is an object of this invention to provide a child restraining means of the type incorporated into the back of an automobile seat that can accommodate infants or children of different weights and sizes that can be stored in the back of the automobile seat in a manner returning the automobile seat to its general usage as a seat for an adult, and which also allows for ease of exiting the restraining mechanism when the automobile is stationary.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a structure that is simple to construct, reliable in operation and maintains the overall safety of the restrained infant or child passenger during use.